


A taste of her own medicine

by virdanfalls



Category: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, Med Student!Sayaka
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-20 21:33:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,312
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11929704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/virdanfalls/pseuds/virdanfalls
Summary: Sayaka was worried about her.This red haired girl in her class was the cause, with bruises that only seemed to multiply. First they were just barely visible on her knuckles. Then they spread to her arms. The next day, she had a cut on her cheek to match it.Sayaka wasn’t sure why she cared.





	A taste of her own medicine

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this oneshot on a whim. This au came to me suddenly and I wanted to get it down. Hope you all like it.

Sayaka was worried about her.

This red haired girl in her class was the cause, with bruises that only seemed to multiply. First they were just barely visible on her knuckles. Then they spread to her arms. The next day, she had a cut on her cheek to match it.

It was an irrational worry, really. Sayaka wasn’t sure why she cared. This girl was just a classmate, a fellow college student who was probably also racking up thousands of dollars of debt. She didn’t seem rich, that was for sure. She came to class in the same ratty green jacket, with different tank tops and t-shirts paired with it, along with jeans that were usually ripped at the knee. She commonly had a stick of pocky poking nonchalantly from her lips. She always ate during class, much to her professor’s chagrin.

Sayaka wondered if she was eating properly one day as she watched the girl chomp on a bag of chips out of the corner of her eye. She quickly turned her attention back to the professor, trying in desperation to pay attention to the lecture. They both took film studies - Sayaka was taking it as an elective, although it was proving much more difficult than she realized. She was a biochemistry major, fully intending on applying to medical school after earning her bachelor’s degree. Sayaka wanted to directly help others, and she felt that medicine was a natural fit for her.

So when the girl with the long red hair came into class with a black eye, Sayaka couldn’t stop herself from grabbing her wrist as they walked out of class after lecture. She couldn’t stop herself from caring, despite the other girl’s immediately defensive reaction.

“What the hell?” She spat, tugging her wrist, which was also bruised, from the girl’s grip. “What do you want?” Sayaka was unsure how to explain herself at first. It was an awkward situation - _I find myself worrying about your wellbeing because you come into class covered in injuries and eating shitty junk food and I want you to take better care of yourself_ -

She finally settled on an answer. “Why do you come into class with a new bruise every day?”

“Why do you fucking care?” The girl asked with an aggressive tone. However, her mouth was curved into a small smile. Sayaka decided it was worth pursuing.

“Because I’m a decent person, and seeing you continuously injured makes a prospective medical professional like myself feel slightly responsible.”

“Better discard that hero complex before you get any actual patients.” The girl sighed as she turned away. “That attitude only causes trouble.” She walked away, turning down another hallway. Sayaka let her leave, and resolved to push her for more information later. If Sayaka was anything, it was determined.

The next day, at the beginning of class, Sayaka sat next to the seat that the other girl usually sat in. As usual, the red haired girl arrived one minute before class started, striding through the door nonchalantly, with no backpack. Her face held a new cut, this one shallow, just barely noticeable. Sayaka was used to noticing all of her little scratches and bruises however.

The girl sat down, ignoring Sayaka obviously. She crossed her arms behind her head, and turned her body away from the other girl.

“Here.” Sayaka said, throwing a protein bar the girl’s way. She was surprised at how quickly the girl reacted, snatching the treat from the air with complete ease. It was unnerving.

The girl glanced at the bar, then back at Sayaka in confusion.

“If you’re not going to feed yourself things with actual nutrients, someone has to try to help. With your constant small injuries, your body probably needs it.” Sayaka explained matter-of-factly, with the detached voice of an aspiring doctor. Before the other girl could reply, their professor began lecturing.

At the end of class, the girl stood up suddenly, staring down Sayaka intensely.

“Kyouko Sakura.” She said finally. Sayaka nodded, understanding the introduction.

“Sayaka Miki.” She replied, regarding her steadily. The other girl turned and walked away without saying anything else.

That was all she needed to treat Sayaka as a friend, apparently. Every day following, Kyouko would plop next to her one minute before the lecture started. Sometimes she would chat about random things, like the weather or this show that she liked. It was always small talk, nothing that really added up to anything. Sometimes Sayaka would bring food for her - always something healthy, like some fruit or a protein bar. She just wanted to help her eat something other than pocky and potato chips. Even though the interactions were small and occasionally odd, Sayaka found herself enjoying it.

She also found herself worrying more. As Kyouko’s bruises and cuts healed, new ones would replace them almost as quickly.

It was about a week after their initial introduction that Sayaka followed Kyouko out of the lecture hall and grabbed her wrist again. She tried to be gentle, as she noticed a small cut on the top of her hand. She pulled her along, towards a vacant table outside of the arts building. Kyouko didn’t question her, just glanced at her curiously as they sat on either side of the table. She waited for the blue haired girl to speak.

“Let me practice on you.” Sayaka requested, completely serious.

“Practice what?” Kyouko was still confused, not quite understanding.

“Practice dressing wounds, stitches. Giving you a diet plan and helping you follow it.”

“What?!” Kyouko looked at her like she was crazy. Maybe she was.

“I want some practice working with patients. You seem to have new wounds every time I see you. I think this could benefit us both.” Sayaka elaborated, keeping her tone professional. It was true, she saw this as an opportunity to gain cursory experience in treating a person. If that also resulted in someone dressing Kyouko’s wounds and ensuring that she was eating well, that was just a happy coincidence.

“I mean, that’s a lot for you to do for me.” Kyouko admitted, rubbing the back of her neck. “Are you sure you want to do all that for some random classmate?”

“I consider you a friend,” Sayaka pressed, leaning forward slightly. She was learning that Kyouko needed a push sometimes, an encouraging sign that guaranteed that she could trust her. She was willing to offer such a thing for her. “You can think of it as doing me a favor. Building up my first aid skills and bedside manner are important for my career. I’m too busy to volunteer or find an internship at a hospital, so this is the next best thing.”

Kyouko just shrugged. “Fine then. Do what you want.”

“Will you follow the nutrition plan I give you?” Sayaka asked in amusement, raising her eyebrow at the other girl.

“I may sneak a few snacks here and there,” Kyouko smirked back cheekily.

And thus, their routine began. It was an interesting routine, to say the least. After lecture, Kyouko would follow Sayaka to her dorm, and let her dress her new wounds with bandages. Sometimes she would clean her cuts with an antiseptic, causing the redhead to hiss under her breath. Sayaka tried to push down the guilt she felt at causing her friend pain.

After a few visits, she met Sayaka’s roommate and good friend, Madoka Kaname. Her kind roommate liked Kyouko’s company, and Kyouko seemed to enjoy her presence as well.

The food plan was another thing entirely. Sayaka found her vitamins high in iron to help her to bruise less easily. She told her to increase her fruit and vegetable intake and gave her some recommendations on which foods to prioritize eating. She figured anything past that would be too tedious for Kyouko to maintain. Kyouko agreed, thankful that it wasn’t a detailed plan that she had to follow.

Sayaka took her vitals as well, noting that they seemed a bit odd for someone of her age and stature. Her heart rate tended to range slightly above average, while her blood pressure remained relatively low.

After a few weeks of this routine, she was beginning to look better - her skin less pale, her vitals returning to more consistent ranges. Kyouko admitted that her energy levels were up just slightly. Sayaka was beginning to think this was a good idea.

She regretted that thought when Kyouko missed lecture one day. She tried not to let it bother her, but she was worried despite it all.

What was it that was causing her all of those wounds? Sayaka thought to herself, as she considered a variety of different scenarios that would cause Kyouko to be absent. Any time that Sayaka had begun to ask about the origin of a new cut or scrape, Kyouko had brushed her off, deflecting or changing the subject. Sayaka never pressed, as she could tell it made her friend deeply uncomfortable.

She was currently regretting that choice, as it left her with little to no information about Kyouko’s absence. She realized that she didn’t even have the other girl’s number. Something twisted in her stomach, as she tried to focus during lecture. Nothing really helped though. Her mind kept wandering back to Kyouko, wondering if she had hurt herself again, if she had remembered to take her vitamins, if she was okay.

Sayaka was beginning to realize that she felt something deeper than friendship for the redheaded girl.

The second day that she missed class left Sayaka a mess. She left the lecture and walked hurriedly to the campus health center. Something was wrong.

An upperclassmen was working the help desk, her neat blonde hair tied into pigtails. Her nametag read ‘Tomoe Mami’. Sayaka nodded at her in greeting before jumping into her questions.

“Has there been a girl through here by the name of Kyouko Sakura?” She immediately jumped to the point.

A flash of recognition jumped across the clerk’s face. She quickly hid whatever emotion may have followed, and answered with a well-composed tone.

“We do not disclose patient information.” She said stiffly.

“But she was here?” Sayaka asked hopefully.

The other girl didn’t reply. She just glanced down the hallway behind Sayaka. She took the hint, and walked through the doors and away from the help desk, thankful that the older girl didn’t stop her as she snuck down the hallway.

She quickly glanced into patient rooms, her pace increasing as she only found unfamiliar faces in the place of Kyouko’s. A room down the hall had a patient that was obscured by a curtain. Sayaka took a deep breath before slowly opening the door, now suddenly nervous.

The shadow behind the curtain jolted at the sound of the door. The patient pulled it back, and Sayaka jolted herself when her eyes met Kyouko’s red ones. She almost screamed when she saw the bandage around her head, and the sling on her arm.

“What happened!?” Sayaka shouted, bypassing a greeting in favor of her concerned and panicked response. Kyouko’s eyes widened in shock, and she was speechless for a moment.

“Why are you here?” She finally asked, her voice confused.

“I care about you, you idiot!” Sayaka all but screamed, now almost crying in frustration. Kyouko only managed to look more surprised, unsure of how to react. “What about me helping you out? How am I supposed to look after you if you go behind my back, and get treated without me knowing?! Why didn’t you tell me?!”

“I-I didn’t have your number-” Kyouko stammered, looking flustered at Sayaka’s intense reaction, “I wasn’t even awake until this morning, so-”

“What do you mean you weren’t awake?! What happened??” Sayaka interrupted her with a voice thick with concern.

“I...uh” Kyouko faltered and avoided her gaze. “I may have some hobbies that involve….”

“What?”

“....underground kickboxing.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope.” Kyouko was blushing in embarrassment now. “I make money when I win...It helps pay for things sometimes. I win pretty often...Though, two nights ago, I lost pretty badly.” She lifted her arm, which was in a sling, tentatively. “This was broken, and I took a pretty nasty blow to the head. Apparently I have a concussion.” She shrugged sheepishly. “Sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.”

Sayaka looked at her, unsure of how to react. “I was so worried,” She said finally, exhaling. She relaxed a little though, until she saw the toothy smile the other girl gave her.

“Are you sure you just think of me as a friend?” Kyouko laughed, smirking at her. “I mean, that whole outburst was pretty-”

She was cut off by Sayaka rushing towards her, suddenly very close to her face. Sayaka decided impulsively to follow through, as her feelings were pretty clear at this point. Might as well go for it while she had the chance. She swiftly gave the other girl a kiss on the cheek, then leaned back to enjoy her reaction. Kyouko was blushing, looking completely shocked.

“I don’t know, Kyouko. You tell me.” She chortled, as the other girl stared at her, completely speechless.

“I--”

“I’ll be back with food.” Sayaka said, turning away and walking towards the door. “Give me your answer then.”

“Hey, you can’t just leave like that!” Kyouko yelled after her incredulously.

Sayaka just laughed as she left the room. When she returned with food half an hour later, she was surprised when Kyouko pulled her into a quick kiss. The redhead muttered something about giving her a “taste of her own medicine” after they parted, making Sayaka laugh so hard that she snorted.

Sayaka sat on the edge of her hospital bed and ate lunch with her. Their hands were close together and their pinky fingers somehow ended up intertwined as they leaned close to each other over food and laughter. 

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think! Kudos and comments are always appreciated :)


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